Introduction
There are few things in life that are as satisfying as discovering a new dish that you absolutely adore. For me, that dish is banh cuon, a traditional Vietnamese dish that consists of steamed rice rolls filled with a variety of delicious ingredients. Banh cuon is a popular street food in Vietnam, and for good reason – it’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredient and how to cook
Let’s start with the ingredients. Banh cuon is made from a few simple ingredients: rice flour, water, and sometimes tapioca flour. First, the rice flour is mixed with water to form a thin batter, which is then spread onto a cloth-covered steamer basket and steamed until it forms a thin, delicate rice roll. Then rice rolls will be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as ground pork, or sliced pork, mushrooms, and shrimp, and topped with fried shallots and a light fish sauce. Sometimes, they also steam the rice flour with eggs together. This is a light, flavorful dish that is sure to delight your taste buds.
Finally, let’s get to the best part – the taste! Banh cuon has a wonderfully delicate texture and a delicious savory flavor. The combination of the soft rice rolls with the flavorful filling and toppings is a match made in heaven. The light fish sauce ties all the flavors together and makes the dish truly addictive.
Versions of Banh cuon
There are different versions of Banh cuon served in different areas of Vietnam.
In the North, banh cuon mostly made without fillings and stuffings. There is a district of Hanoi called Thanh Tri which is so famous of making plain rice sheet. The plain steamed rice paper will be served with cinnamon pork sausage. Another area also in the North such as Phu Ly – the capital of Ha Nam serve the plain steamed rice sheet with grilled pork aside.
In the Central of Vietnam, People call this dish Banh uot tom chay (steamed rice rolls with dry ground shrimp). People here make the fillings from shrimp rather than ground pork. They cook the shrimp thoroughly and dried them before making the fillings.
In the South of Vietnam, Banh cuon is filled with ground pork. It serves with Cha lua, bean sprouts, julienne Vietnamese basil and cucumber, fry shallots and Nuoc cham (mixed fish sauce). This version of banh cuon is very popular and it is served in almost all restaurants through out the country.
Best places to eat banh cuon in Hanoi
Living in Hanoi for more than 20 years, I think I have experienced enough to make recommendation of where to find the best banh cuon in the city. There are many street vendors and restaurants throughout the city that serve banh cuon, but there are a few that stand out from the rest.
One of the most popular spots for banh cuon is Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van (add: 14 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi). The restaurant has been serving up delicious banh cuon for over 20 years. Their banh cuon is made fresh daily and filled with a flavorful mixture of ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, and fried shallots.
Another great option is Banh Cuon Ba Hanh (add: 26B Tho Xuong, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi). The place is known for their banh cuon rolls that are filled with a variety of ingredients. The filling includes wood ear, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, straw mushrooms, home-grown sprouts, bananas from Thung Nai, spices and peppers from Binh Phuoc garden, all of which make the taste delicious, warm, and deeply sweet.
Gia An Banh Cuon is a very famous brand for Hanoians, no one does not know. Gia An Banh Cuon is the most successful chain specializing in banh cuon in Hanoi. Welcoming thousands of customers every day is probably enough to say the position of Gia An in the hearts of Ha Noi diners. There are 3 branches of Gia An that are quite popular and near the Old quarter: (1) 114A Yet Kieu, Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trưng, Ha Noi; (2) 25 Thai Phien, Le Đai Hanh, Hai Ba Trung: (3) 21A Lo Đuc, Pham Đinh Ho, Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi.
Photo credit: luckyhotelhanoi.com
Price
The price for banh cuon is not expensive at all. A plate with roasted cinnamon pork sausages is only VND35,000 – VND40,000 (US$1.5). Banh cuon with grilled meat at VND40,000 – VND45,000 (US$1.6 -1.8). Banh cuon with eggs at VND25,000 (US$1.00).
Conclusion
In conclusion, banh cuon is a delicious and beloved dish in Vietnam that has a rich history and a variety of wonderful flavors. Whether you’re in Hanoi or another part of Vietnam, be sure to try this wonderful dish – you will have nothing to regret!
